Thanuj de Alwis Goonewardena

Thanuj De Alwis Goonewardena

Hospitality Pro

Griffith Business School winner 2018

Thanuj De Alwis Goonewardena has 27 years’ experience in hospitality, planning, design, construction and hotels. Mr Goonewardena returned to Colombo, Sri Lanka in 1998 after graduating from Griffith University’s Gold Coast campus, and took over the family business. With his brothers, he transformed the small family-run hotel, into a Mega City Hotel, boasting 94-bedrooms, two ballrooms, a restaurant, bar, art gallery and spa. Mr Goonewardena has also been involved in the design and development of hotel, resort, home, school and office projects, including the restoration of an 1846 colonial racecourse.

In 2009, he was honoured with a Sri Lankan Presidential Award for Young Entrepreneur of the Year and remains highly involved in Sri Lanka’s tourism and recreation industry.